Greetings!
About allied NPCs:
- I think it is very important that when entering cities or villages you feel "alive". That the NPCs have conversations with each other, that they move around the area etc.
An example; if you program several positions of the NPCs and that depending on the time of day or randomly they change position, this would make it feel totally different every time you enter a village.
Who would not want to arrive at the blacksmith's shop one day and find that the blacksmith is having a beer in the tavern? As long as the minimap or map puts the location of the sellers with their respective names, it would not be difficult to find where they are at that moment.
- I share the idea of someone who has commented that the NPCs could have different personalities, rude and close the trade window, annoying sellers that chase you, etc. One of the things that I think is important (This is about reputation if you plan to implement it) would be that it was important beyond the objects that allow you to buy, that is, depending on your reputation with said "city/area or village" was cheaper, some NPCs will talk to you differently.
About enemy mobs:
-Something that has always seemed "boring" to me is that it costs you the same to kill a wild boar as it does to kill a bandit... that the only thing that changes is his life and his damage. In my opinion, each mob must have something that makes it special, it can be simply a simple ability, debuff, attack that has to be dodged, etc.
- I've read about the idea of peripheral view... I've been excited, the number of little things you could do, how much fun it could be to sneakily avoid mobs by walking (not running) from behind without necessarily being a rogue I think which would give the mobs quite a thrill.
- I think that the unpredictable mobs are the most fun, although I think that abusing them could be a bit tiresome in the long run. I would love to but I know that there are many people who like to fight against a creature knowing everything it will do. I think unpredictable mobs would be a great idea in certain places or with certain creatures. Moreover, implementing the "randomness" system when it comes to a boss mechanic, could make it really difficult and a challenge for the most hardcore...